


Against the Legions

by Auriana Valoria (AuriV1)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Battle, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Venatori
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 09:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12679287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuriV1/pseuds/Auriana%20Valoria
Summary: Commander Cullen and his men face off against Venatori in the Dales.--------------------Honestly, I just wanted to write Cullen in a combat scene. :P Enjoy! :)





	Against the Legions

_Come on…come on…_

Cullen’s eyes squinted, focusing past the fangs of his helm on the giant of a man lumbering towards him at a painfully slow pace. The Venatori bruiser wielded a massive warhammer, and he obviously thought he was going to have the opportunity to use it on the Commander of the Inquisition. As he drew closer and closer, his pace increased to a jog, and he shifted the warhammer in his grip. Cullen planted his feet, braced as if to take the full brunt of whatever strike the Venatori had planned, all the while watching the flex of the man’s unprotected biceps and forearms.

 _Underhand_.

The thought flashed through Cullen’s mind a half-second before the Venatori fell through with the swing, using his momentum to power the strike that would have sent the Commander sailing halfway across the battlefield had it hit its intended target.

But it didn’t.

Cullen spun to the man’s right side at the last second, lunging forward when the swing fully exposed the Venatori’s flank. His sword found its mark in the man’s armpit, the point emerging behind his collarbone. The brute fell like a stone, the hammer tumbling away.

“Raaagh!”

The foolish cry alerted him to another Venatori rushing him from behind. Cullen whirled, shield smashing into the charging warrior’s helm. It rang like a bell on impact, and while the ‘Vint was thrown backwards from the force of the strike, Cullen thrust his sword through the man’s heart, the blade punching through boiled leather with ease.

He yanked the sword free and quickly glanced about, searching for new foes. Through the dust of the battlefield, another Venatori warrior bore down on him, but this one was more cautious, presumably due to having witnessed two of his fellows cut down within seconds of each other. He hung back, hefting his short blade and buckler in his hands and moving as if to circle Cullen, taking his time to study the Commander’s movements.

Though he wasn’t exhausted by any means, Cullen’s breath was still loud in his helmet, and beyond it, he could hear the clashing and battlecries of his men all around him; they were spread out in this portion of the Dales, routing a particularly large band of Venatori from the area. He could _feel_ the crackle of distant magic from the spellbinders, empowering what foot soldiers the Tevinters had brought as bodyguards…

 _Maker, my enemies are abundant._  
_Many are those who rise up against me._  
_But my faith sustains me; I shall not fear the legion,_  
_Should they set themselves against me._  


They _would_ prevail.

As luck would have it, the Venatori grew impatient as he awaited an opening. The ‘Vint rushed him, diving for his right leg in a feint and then slashing backhanded at the back of Cullen’s arm as he danced past. The Venatori’s sword sliced into the sleeve of the Commander’s gambeson, but not far enough to cut flesh. Cullen, on the other hand, spun as he followed the Venatori, the tip of his sword catching the running man’s side, blood trailing the strike.

He really would have to ask Dorian about Tevinters and their ridiculously exposing armors sometime…

As the ‘Vint spun back around to face him again, Cullen used some of the Venatori’s tactics against him. He rushed forth as if to charge into the man, but just as he reached him, the Tevinter bringing up his buckler in a reflexive move, Cullen dropped, sweeping the Venatori’s leg right out from under him, his blade slicing through the ‘Vint’s calf. The Tevinter howled and instantly fell to his knee, but a follow-up slash to his neck abruptly cut the scream short.

“Cullen, watch out!”

Rylen’s shout of alarm alerted him to the danger bearing down upon him as he turned back from the third Venatori. He barely brought up his shield in time to deflect the incoming overhanded strike from another charging warrior, this one with a larger shield and a mace. The spiked head of the blunt weapon crashed into the surface of Cullen’s shield, and a tremor rippled through it upon impact. He had no time to counter as the Venatori continued his rush forward, bashing his own shield into the Commander’s exposed torso and sending him flying backwards. Cullen landed hard on his back, the landing forcing the air from his lungs in a _whoosh_.

The warrior continued bearing down on him, the mace sailing straight for Cullen’s head. He rolled to the side, barely missing the strike as he rose to his knees. Another overhanded blow from the Venatori came crashing towards him, and again he blocked it, a sizeable indentation growing in the shield from bearing the brunt of repeated punishment. Cullen slashed for the Tevinter’s legs, but the man jumped, deftly dodging the attack before charging to strike again. But this time, the Commander leapt to his feet with a roar to meet him head on.

Shields collided.  Weapons whirred past heads. Parry, strike, parry, block, bash, rush, strike, parry…

And then, a sword point suddenly erupted through the Tevinter’s chest from behind, abruptly putting an end to the deadly duel.

Cullen nearly stumbled as he struggled to halt his forward momentum, his toes digging trenches into the dirt. As the ‘Vint slowly collapsed before him, he saw Rylen’s tattooed face underneath the visor of the Inquisition helm that was revealed behind the falling Venatori, the Templar’s blue-grey eyes stormy with battle-fueled fury.

The Commander and Knight-Captain nodded to one another in silent acknowledgment as they both panted, struggling to catch their breath as they looked about each other for more enemies. Then, at last, Rylen grunted as he pulled his blade free from the Tevinter’s corpse.

“I’ve had about enough of these bastards.”

A distant cry of victory from their soldiers could be heard across the battlefield, and Cullen nodded in agreement as he glanced around, his own reply weary.

“So have I.”


End file.
